An inspiring true story told with humor, song,

and the Book of Mormon!

Steven Fales could have been the poster child for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church): Eagle Scout, international missionary, BYU graduate, married in the Salt Lake Temple, and father of a beautiful boy and girl. In his autobiographical one-man play, Fales tells the captivating story of his failed attempt to overcome his "same-sex attraction" through "reparative therapy," which resulted in his divorce and excommunication from the Mormon Church. After his perfect Mormon world fell apart, Fales took his pain and confusion to New York City where he quickly descended into the gay underworld of escorting and drugs. Both touching and funny, Mormon Boy is a 90-minute reclamation saga of a Latter-day prodigal son that ends in a moment of self-revelation that "hits us between the eyes like a shot with a two-by-four" (Chicago Sun Times).

The very personal play shows the link between spiritual abuse and addiction. Fales defines spiritual abuse as any time an individual, group, or institution uses religion to justify telling or showing anyone they are not worthy of god’s full love and blessings. Mormon Boy also illustrates the dilemma of those struggling to reconcile their dreams of becoming straight with the realities of being gay and what it costs to accept or deny that truth when children are involved.

Fales says he wrote his "valentine to Mormonism and hedonism" for his children so that they would some day be able to understand their gay father. "I kept thinking that if I were to die, there wasn’t anyone I could fully trust to tell my kids who their ‘wicked’ gay dad really was and how much I loved them."

Fales' former mother-in-law is celebrated Mormon poet Carol Lynn Pearson whose autobiography, Good-bye, I Love You (Random House, 1986), poignantly recounts her relationship with her gay ex-husband who died of AIDS in her home. Steven married their talented, oldest daughter Emily. "I guess you could say I’m the Peter Allen of Mormondom." (Emily and Carol Lynn have both given their blessing to tell the story.)

The play has received critical and popular acclaim and is considered a cross-over sensation. Fales is uncharacteristically generous to Mormonism in his play, which also contains no swearing or nudity. Fales plays many colorful characters in his "comic/dramatic monologue mingled with scripture and song."

Fales calls himself an Oxy-Mormon, "While most boys my age wanted to be Donny and marry Marie, I wanted to marry Donny and be Marie."

Confessions of a Mormon Boy started as a stand-up comedy routine in Manhattan and first premiered to sold-out crowds in Salt Lake City. The play has had highly successful developmental runs across the country, including San Francisco (New Conservatory Theatre), Miami (Coconut Grove Playhouse), Chicago (Bailiwick Repertory Theatre), San Diego (Diversionary Theatre—where it broke box office records), and Connecticut (Connecticut Repertory Theatre). A word-of-mouth phenomenon, Mormon Boy received an Overall Excellence Award at the 2004 New York International Fringe Festival directed by Tony Award Winner Jack Hofsiss (the original Broadway production of The Elephant Man).
The play has been proven successful as a fund-raiser for recovery, youth, spiritual, university and other special-interest groups, including a recent star-studded performance at Lincoln Center (Mitzi Newhouse Theater) for the point foundation.

"Unflinchingly honest... an absorbing tale that, in the end, is less about a gay Mormon than about the universal human search for belonging. Mormon or not, gay or not, it’s something we can all relate to."  -Salt Lake Tribune

"Confessions of a Mormon Boy" has played in the following cities. If you would like to experience "Mormon Boy" in your city or town, email to: mormonboyprod@aol.com.

New York City, NY
Salt Lake City, UT
Chicago, IL
San Diego, CA
San Francisco, CA
Atlanta, GA
Austin, TX
Portland, OR
Palm Springs, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Miami, FL
Hartford, CT

Upcoming: Salt Lake City (fourth time), Los Angeles, and Boston.